Silver Reef Hotel Casino and Spa officials are instituting several environmentally friendly practices.

With its newly created Green Team, Silver Reef officials have started by removing Styrofoam cups in the employee dining rooms and asking workers to use their own mugs or reusable plastic juice cups. Officials estimate they will save 20,000 Styrofoam cups a month.

Silver Reef is also planning to participate in a food-recycling program. This summer, beginning with the Panasia Restaurant, leftover food will be sent to the Food Recycle Pilot Program in Lynden to be composted. In selected guest restrooms an air dryer will be installed, on a trial basis, to reduce paper towel usage. They are also replacing incandescent lighting with high-efficiency light bulbs to conserve more energy throughout the property.

Silver Reef hosted more than one million guests in 2007. With that many visits, raising awareness is key to any change, says Harlan Oppenheim, Silver Reef general manger.

For more information about Silver Reef, visit www.silverreefcasino.com.